


Star-Crossed

by thereddame



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Are We The Baddies?, Happy Ending, Inspired by Killing Eve (TV 2018), Killing Eve AU, M/M, Mild descriptions of violence, cullen is villanelle, dorian is eve, mild obsession, potentially unhealthy relationships, spy x assassin, tropey af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:47:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21874522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thereddame/pseuds/thereddame
Summary: Dorian is a top agent and spy for the Seekers organization (equivalent to modern day MI6). He receives the prestigious mission to find the Inquisition's Red Lion, a very talented and prolific assassin, and lure him into a trap. Dorian is successful in his mission but ends up doing more than finding the Red Lion. He falls in love with the assassin.And now, the Seekers have come to collect their wayward agent and spring the trap on the Lion.Neither of them will go quietly.
Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Cullen Rutherford
Comments: 16
Kudos: 48





	Star-Crossed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness/gifts).

> Happy Holidays to the lovely [Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness)! I'm her Secret Santa over at the Cullrian Discord Secret Santa event and this is her gift <3 
> 
> Thank you [SleepinginSunbeams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepinginSunbeams) for the beta~

He’s in too deep.

Looking at Cullen from across their shared dinner table, Dorian knows that he loves this man. He loves the intense way that Cullen wants him, he loves the nice things that Cullen does for him, he loves the way they fuck, he loves the way Cullen kills for him and-- 

Well, he’s in too deep and he knew this relationship wouldn’t last. For more reasons than just Dorian being an agent for the Seekers. 

As if on cue, Cullen lifts his wine glass in a silent toast. Dorian responds by lifting his own glass though his gaze strays from his handsome date’s smile to watch the other Seeker agents quietly sweeping the room. 

He and Cullen are two very different men. And, well, Dorian has been lying to Cullen about who he is through this entire dalliance. He was told to find Cullen, befriend him, and then bring him in to the Seekers because, Cullen The Red Lion Rutherford, is one of the most notorious assassins in Thedas. 

Who knew that seduction would be the trap that caught the lion? 

Dorian refused to do honeypot missions but … there was something about Cullen that drew him in. Perhaps, he should have disclosed to his supervisors that he was attracted to the way Cullen assassinates his targets or that he dreamed about kissing his scarred lip but no-- he kept that information to himself. 

And look where that got him. 

He checks the positioning of the other agents with a swift glance but even that one look away from Cullen has alerted his date. 

The quiet click of Cullen’s gun beneath the table brings Dorian back to attention. The Seeker’s agents that appeared moments ago slink into the shadows and merge into the ranks of dinner guests. To anyone who is not Dorian, they are probably unnoticed. 

Probably. 

“Cullen, darling, why don’t you put that away. I thought we agreed to a nice evening?” 

His date’s answering smile is not a kind one. 

“We did,” Cullen agrees and then finally takes a sip of his suspended wine glass. “This is nice, isn’t it?” 

Dorian sets his own glass down but he’s too nervous for the motion to be a smooth one and he catches the base of the glass against his plate. 

_Click._

Cullen tilts his head just a fraction, his eyes on the offending dishware. 

“Perhaps not, then,” Cullen muses, quietly. 

Years of social grace are the only thing that keeps Dorian calm as he reaches for his folded napkin. He politely wipes his mouth to buy some time. He can tell that his subtle delay is not so subtle to the serial assassin. 

“Cullen, this _is_ nice,” he tries and keeps his voice as level as possible so as not to startle the lion into running. This will be a bloodbath if he does. “Please put the gun away.” 

“No, I don’t think I will,” Cullen says as he casually sets his glass down. Then, with one hand, he reaches for his fork so he can eat dinner. Dorian doesn’t have to see the gun to know that it’s still pointed at him. “Aren’t you going to eat, Dorian?” 

Dorian’s mind races. 

He could eat and show Cullen that he’s unarmed or he could point his own gun beneath the table but… 

He could always tell the truth.

But, the truth would end _this_ between them and _this_ is more than dinner. It’s sharing space and affection. It’s kisses beneath the streetlamps and naughty touches in expensive dressing rooms. 

It’s… 

_Cullen kisses his shoulder just before laying against him-- Cullen’s chest to his back-- and Dorian has never really had this sort of affection after sex. Cullen, a stone cold assassin for the Inquisition has given him more after-sex consideration than all of Dorian’s previous dates. _

_It’s… not what he expected from a man who casually kills a mark by pulling his tie through closed elevator doors until the mark suffocated. _

_“You’re beautiful like this, Dorian.” _

_Cullen kisses his shoulder again and then trails those kisses along the curve of his spine. Dorian inhales sharply at the feel of those monstrous lips being so gentle and kissing his tailbone and then lower, practiced fingers very carefully opening him up for Cullen’s mouth--_

“Dorian?” 

“Yes, sorry,” he clears his throat and slides his hand along the napkin on his lap. The texture bringing him back to the present, helping him hone his focus. “Just thinking about last night.” 

Dorian can tell the moment that Cullen’s guard lowers because his shoulders aren’t as tense and he smiles. It’s the same smile he’s seen in Cullen’s bedroom but not one he can do anything with here, in this restaurant.

But, it’s enough of an opening and the moment that he needs. He reaches for his own gun and Cullen’s smile closes off at the sound of a cocked gun. 

Dorian is staring into the face of The Red Lion and not his lover. 

The arousal is completely inappropriate but that’s what drew him to Cullen, wasn’t it? If he were being honest with himself. He wanted this job, he _wanted_ to hunt Cullen because he wanted the thrill of capturing him. Of cornering the assassin. He gets off on the danger of it all. Of having a man like Cullen paying attention to him, wanting to devour him. 

“What are you doing, Dorian?” he asks, voice low but cold. 

“My job, I’m afraid.” 

Cullen clenches his jaw. Time seems to still for a moment and Dorian can only hear his own heart racing, pounding loudly in his ear. Will Cullen shoot him after all? Because Dorian’s not sure he can take the shot first. 

“Your job?” Cullen asks, blandly. That lack of emotion is starting to get under Dorian’s skin. Though, what did he expect? “So, I was a job for you.” 

“Yes,” Dorian answers, more of an exhaled breath than real words but Cullen seems to hear him all the same. At the corner of his vision, he can see a few of his fellow agents getting restless because of the lack of movement on either Dorian or Cullen’s part. It’s probably Bull, his partner, because Bull was wary about this whole mission from the beginning. Sure enough, he can see the big hulking oaf turn his chair around, arms resting across the back of it. 

Subtle. 

Or rather not, as Cullen tilts his head towards the sound of numerous chairs scraping as more Seeker agents stand up, each readying their weapons. Cullen never takes his gaze off of Dorian.

“What’s the bounty then?” Cullen says and frowns. “I hope I was quite expensive.” He adjusts in his seat and lifts his gun into sight. 

Dorian reacts to the threat and lifts his own weapon into view. 

And then, chaos. 

Cullen stands in a fluid motion and kicks the table at Dorian. Dorian ducks as quickly as he can but there’s wine and food flying around him. Dinner plates shatter on either side of him, expensive sauce and chunks of vegetables splattering near his shoes. The wine bottle miraculously survives but is laying on its side, red wine pouring out and across the floor like blood. What a shame-- they’d had this reservation for months. With three Michelin stars, The Herald’s Rest came highly recommended. 

Dorian ducks behind the overturned table as his fellow agents take potshots at Cullen, though it’s not a rain of bullets. Amongst the chaos of patrons screaming and waiters dropping plates, it’s almost impossible for the Seekers to shoot at Cullen without harming the civilians trying to escape. 

One bullet gets far too close for comfort and it’s startling enough that Dorian pops his head up to see who aimed at him -- his heart hoping it wasn’t Cullen -- and it wasn’t. Just a rookie aiming too closely to him. Bull smacks the red headed kid’s shoulder. Grabbing the kid by the collar, Bull tugs them both down to hide behind their own table just as Cullen turns on them and unloads his gun. 

Cullen isn’t shooting to kill. It’s… it’s just a distraction. 

Despite the chaotic noise and screams, he can tell that Cullen isn’t aiming at the other agents on purpose. Just enough to scare them, just enough so he can make an escape. 

Almost like slow-motion, Cullen slides past two waiters caught in the middle of it all, and steps into the revolving door. 

_“Venhedis.”_ Dorian stands up and follows him, dodging and weaving around patrons and Seekers alike until he comes face-to-face with the glass door separating him from Cullen. 

Cullen steps backwards through the doorway and, for a moment, Dorian thinks that he’s going to walk into traffic but the asshole just slides his gun into the inner pocket of his jacket. He holds his hands up slightly and smirks at Dorian. 

That sonofa--

Cullen doesn’t think Dorian will shoot him. 

Fuck him. 

Dorian lifts the gun and shoots through the glass. 

The splinters of glass that ricochet towards him are absolutely worth the shocked expression on Cullen’s face. He ducks and covers his face to protect himself from the shards. The clamouring noise of panicked civilians intensifies behind him. 

He can hear the Seekers ordering the field agents into position for an extraction.

Recovering quickly, Dorian stands and searches Cullen’s face for… _something_ even though he’s not sure what. Selfishly, he hopes it’s forgiveness but he’s not an idiot. He just shot The Red Lion. Lover or not, Dorian knows Cullen will come for him. 

Cullen’s eyes are wide from-- surprise, possibly? Pain? 

Dorian shoves the gun in his holster and then steps through the splintered glass just as Cullen looks down at himself and there-- 

Dorian can see blood pooling at Cullen’s side, soaking through his shirt. 

Wait-- 

_Wait._

This isn’t what he wanted. 

Dorian can’t breathe against the immense and overwhelming feeling of regret for what he’s done. 

“You fucker!” Dorian shouts, crossing the distance between them to yell at Cullen’s stunned face. “Of course you’re not just a job, you idiot.” Dorian grips the collar of Cullen’s shirt and pulls him closer. Cullen still isn’t reacting. “I’m a member of the Seekers and you were my assignment but I didn’t anticipate falling in love with you.” 

Cullen reacts. 

It’s not the kiss he hoped for. 

Cullen grabs his wrists and twists. Dorian gasps and turns bodily into the motion so not to dislocate one or both of his arms. Cullen turns Dorian’s momentum against him and pulls him backwards against his broad chest. 

From the new position with his back to Cullen’s chest, Dorian can feel blood seeping onto his expensive designer shirt but he can’t pull away. He’s restrained in Cullen’s arms. 

“You _love_ me?” Cullen asks, the disbelief evident in the sharpness of his tone. Dorian shivers at that low, angry voice in his ear. “You love me. The last time I checked, you don’t shoot the person you love.”

“Cullen, listen to me,” Dorian says, a bit short on breath because Cullen has now slid his arm around his throat. “I do, I really, really do. Yes, alright, I work for the Seekers, and you were my mission but I… it was more than that, towards the end.” 

“And yet, I was nearly gunned down at The Herald’s Rest. We had those reservations for months,” Cullen says and though Dorian can’t see his face, he can hear the… the pout in his voice. He can’t help but smile inappropriately as Cullen echoes his sentiments from earlier about their reservations. 

“You’ll have to forgive a man for a moment of indecision, hm? Darling, let me go so we can discuss this--” 

“I’m not keen on being arrested. How can I trust you now, _darling?”_ Cullen’s response is dry and mocking. 

“Dorian!” 

Both of them look towards the new voice. 

“Bull?” He’s annoyed that he’s being interrupted from talking Cullen down from this situation. Dorian’s loyalties are so obviously split right now but he hopes that Bull can trust him enough to let him continue to try and talk Cullen into a less bloody solution. 

“This is lookin’ real messy, Dorian.” 

Cullen’s arm tightens around his throat and Dorian reaches up, instinctively, the pull Cullen’s arm away just enough that he can breathe. “He seems familiar with you,” Cullen hisses, low in his ear again. 

“Don’t be jealous,” Dorian snips, offended that Cullen would think he was anything but interested in Cullen. Then, he pitches his voice louder so Bull knows that he’s speaking to him now, “Don’t do anything hasty, Bull. The Lion and I are just having a chat, hm? All is well in hand.” 

He holds his hands up, palms outwards, to keep Bull from advancing towards them. That leaves him vulnerable to Cullen’s slow strangulation but the pressure lessens. 

“Doesn’t look so ‘in-hand’ to me,” Bull comments idly but holds his hands up to show that he doesn’t have his hand on the trigger. “Cassandra is coming to defuse the situation.” 

“She’s too late,” Cullen murmurs lowly, deliciously into his ear. 

Dorian closes his eyes briefly, to find strength, but otherwise, doesn’t react. Cassandra, the head of the Seekers could probably deescalate the situation but either way, Cullen is going to be arrested. 

“Bull, just-- ack!” Dorian is shoved wildly into Bull. He spins around to try and catch Cullen but abruptly halts as he’s staring down the barrel of Cullen’s gun. Behind him, Bull starts to draw his own weapon but Dorian slowly holds his hands up, palms out. “Bull, go back inside. I’ll be there in a moment.” 

“But--” 

“Just go!” 

Dorian doesn’t have to see Bull’s face to know that his friend looks between the two of them, considering the situation and Dorian’s request, before deciding to trust him. Bull steps backwards through the shattered glass of the door until it’s just him and Cullen. 

Cullen watches Bull until he’s gone. Then, he shifts his gaze to Dorian. 

“Please, Cullen. Put it down.” Dorian steps forward but immediately stops when Cullen presses the gun to his temple instead. 

“You don’t get this, Dorian. You don’t get _me.”_ He murmurs, angry, face snarling like the lion he was named after. “I trusted you. Love doesn’t mean forgiveness.” 

He releases Dorian and takes three steps away before turning and raising his gun again--

And then there's a sharp pain at his temple. 

Dorian’s world goes black. 

\- xx - 

Dorian didn’t anticipate waking up in a hospital. Outside of his room, he hears the muffled sounds of chattering nurses and an intercom announcement. In his room, there are numerous and varying beeping noises from the multitude of machines hooked up to him. When he comes to, he feels floaty and groggy but there is no more pain. 

“Madam, he’s up.” 

Dorian blinks away the sleep in his eyes but he’s still a bit too groggy to react properly. 

He hopes Cullen found a hospital. 

_Shots…_

He raises his hand to his face but someone grabs his hand first. 

“Best not to touch the bandages before they’re ready to come off, Dorian,” Cassandra, _the_ Lord Seeker says. Despite being the person who recruited him into the Seekers, she has always been cold towards him. He didn’t think she actually liked him all that much but here she is, in his hospital room. 

“What happened?” 

“It seems as though the Red Lion spared you. He grazed your temple and used you as a distraction to escape.” She tucks her hands behind her back, and gives him a severe frown. She’s never truly approved of his methods but this… he can tell that he’s _really_ displeased her this time. 

He inappropriately feels satisfaction that Cullen didn’t shoot to kill. 

Before he can answer, she moves away from his bed to slide a guest chair over so she can sit next to him. This is the first time he’s noticed someone else in the room-- a man with a broad nose and an open shirt, with a bit of chest exposed with a peek of chest hair. 

The man smiles at him. 

Dorian doesn’t know what to do with _that_ so he turns his attention back towards Cassandra.

“Do you know how difficult you’ve made my job, Dorian?” 

“Quite difficult, I’d imagine.” 

“An understatement.” 

Dorian huffs a laugh, almost wanting to defuse the frankly awkward tension but he’s too tired and his temple is throbbing. “Am I being reassigned? Arrested? What’s the damage?” 

“What makes you think those things, Dorian?” 

“Because they wouldn’t send the head of the Seekers to congratulate me on botching an arrest attempt and losing an assassin.” 

Cassandra purses her lips. 

“Come on, Seeker,” the man from across the room interrupts. It’s the first time Dorian has heard him speak. “We’re running out of time.” 

“Varric, please. We had an agreement. You wouldn’t interfere with this,” Cassandra speaks to this ‘Varric’ but she doesn’t look at him. She’s watching Dorian instead. 

“I told you this was dangerous, Dorian. I said that you were getting too close to him but you didn’t listen to me.” She exhales and rests her palms on her knees, neatly composed. 

“But, I could handle it. I had this under control--” 

“Clearly, you did _not_ have this under control or I wouldn’t have this mess on my hands.” She sighs again. “Don’t lie to me. What else do you expect me to believe after your declaration this afternoon?” 

Even though her tone is bored, Dorian still feels threatened. 

She continues on without his response or agreement, “Dorian, I don’t understand you. You were… promising. One of the best potential talents we had. I was grooming you for my position and you’re throwing it away for an _assassin._ A psychopath who … couldn’t possibly come to love you.” 

Dorian opens his mouth to interrupt her, to defend himself and Cullen, but she holds his hand up in anticipation of him saying something in rebuttal. 

“I’m right and you know it,” she says, solemnly. 

“With all due respect, Lord Seeker, I don’t think you know anything about either one of us.”

She watches him again, her piercing gaze making it clear to Dorian that Cassandra is searching his expression for something and then she says, “Do you think you love truly him then?” 

Dorian’s answer is immediate and without hesitation. “I do.” 

“Seeeeeeker,” Varric interrupts, nearly whining for Cassandra’s attention. Across from them, he stands up and moves towards the bed. Dorian is uneasy because he doesn’t know the man’s intentions but Cassandra doesn’t seem worried. 

Dorian feels weak-- not only from being shot and staying in the hospital, but also from having his emotions dissected and paraded before these semi-strangers. 

“Right,” she says and Dorian watches her warily. “Oh, don’t look like that. Let me be clear, I think you will be wasting your talents on him but…” She glances back to their guest. “I suppose I understand finding love in unusual places.” 

_What_ \-- Cassandra, the Lord Seeker, and notorious cold-hearted leader of their organization _understands_ about finding love in unusual places? He would ask if he thought he would get any information or explanation but she’s already moving towards him. 

Cassandra grips his upper arm and hauls him out of bed. Dorian feels a wave of vertigo as his body tries to compensate from the sudden motion of laying down to being pulled standing upright. 

It takes him a moment to gather his bearings but he manages to not be sick from the sudden movement. 

“What is--”

“You’re fired, Dorian.”

He… expected that but it still stings to be dismissed from a job where he excelled. A job that consumed almost all of his time and effort. But, he knows the choice that he’s making. 

“I suppose I understand, considering the circumstances. Am I allowed to walk out of here or am I being silenced?” He eyes the man across from them warily. Now that he’s upright, he can see that Varric has a gun on his hip-- and how did he even get that into the hospital? 

Cassandra scoffs, offended. “Please. We don’t put agents to pasture. What kind of organization do you think we are, the Inquisition?” 

“Hey! We aren’t that bad?” Varric exclaims but then seems thoughtful, “Well, except that part. We do forcibly retire our employees.” 

Cassandra doesn’t even look over at their guest and his outrage. Dorian knows that name, the name of ‘The Inquisition.’ That’s Cullen’s employer. It’s the league of assassins.

Dorian is now suddenly very interested in this Varric. 

Before he can ask any questions or get any more information out of them, Cassandra ushers him towards the bathroom connected to his room. She shoves his clothes at him and practically forces him through the door with a rough, “Dress.” 

He dresses in record time, smoothing his hair into place, though he still looks bedraggled and there’s nothing he can do about the bandage around his head. 

There’s no time for questions. 

When he steps out of the bathroom, dressed, Cassandra is nowhere to be found. Instead, he’s looking at Varric who takes his arm and walks them both through the hospital. 

The grip on his arm is almost painful. 

“Varric?” 

“Yep,” he pops the ‘p’ as he forces Dorian down a hallway and towards the elevator. 

“Do you work for the Inquisition then?” 

They are starting to draw some attention but Varric just smiles and nods at them, it seems to smooth things over with the curious nurses. “And, you shouldn’t just ask people that, Sparkler.” 

“Sparkler?”

“The Lion calls you that. Dunno why. Everyone has nicknames. Up we go,” Varric interrupts himself to step off of the elevator, dragging Dorian with him. 

“Is Varric your nickname?” 

“Nah, not me,” Varric answers, frustratingly vague, and then nods politely at a passing doctor. 

That… is something that he’ll have to ask Cullen about later. When he’s not being dragged around by a short man with extravagant chest hair. 

“You didn’t answer me. Do you work for the Inquisition?” 

Varric snorts at him. If he were feeling better, Dorian would have a quip ready but he’s tired, his face aches, and he just wants to see Cullen. 

“Yeah, Sparkler, I do. So does your boy.” 

“I know-- _venhedis_\-- why are you treating me like I don’t know what I’m doing--” Before he can continue asking the important questions, Varric tugs his arm and slams Dorian’s back against the wall. He loses his breath at the impact. 

“Because you _don’t,_ Sparkler. The Red Lion isn’t someone you play around with. You think the Inquisition keeps him around because of the _subtlety_ of his kills? How considerate he is? His _niceness?_ Trust me when I say we’ve got quieter killers. Gentler assassins. People who can make it look like an accident or a natural occurrence. Not… choking senators in elevators or stabbing someone in the eye-to-brain with a pen at his daughter’s birthday party.” 

Dorian doesn’t answer him. He takes Varric’s monologue as a chance to escape. He rotates his arm and elbows him hard in the solar plexus. In shock and pain, Varric dips down, coughing and trying to clear his breathing. Dorian takes that as an opportunity to put some distance between them. 

“Touch me like that again, and I’ll aim high or low enough to do real damage,” Dorian says, tense and ready for another fight. 

Varric clears his throat again and stares hard at him. For a moment, he is certain that Varric is going to pull his weapon on him. But his reply surprises him. 

“Get in the car, Sparkler. I promised the Lion I’d get you there in one piece and I can’t do that when I want to introduce you to Bianca.” 

His gut reaction is to ask who Bianca might be but Varric is holding open the door open to a nondescript black car. 

He has no reason to trust Varric. 

“In the car,” Varric wiggles the door handle a little to entice Dorian inside.

But Varric knows where Cullen is. 

After a moment of consideration, Dorian sighs and slides into the passenger side of the car. Varric gets in after him and shuts the door. 

The drive to wherever they are going is not quiet. Varric is a talker. Apparently, he’s a handler for the Inquisition so he spends most of the trip telling Dorian about the different assassins he assisted. Of course, there’s a maddening lack of information about Cullen. 

Varric is playing with him and he’s tired of it. 

“Where are you taking me?” 

Varric, seemingly not annoyed by Dorian interrupting his story about his favorite kill, glances over at him before pulling into a parking spot to what appears to be an apartment complex. “Here.” 

Dorian reaches up to touch his bandage just to have something to do with his hands that doesn’t involve strangling Varric. At least, he’s not bleeding. 

“Listen to me, kid. You’ve got… thirty minutes. That’s as long as I can promise the both of you. Cassandra gave me thirty minutes. It’d probably be in your best interest to talk the Lion into forgiving or forgetting you.” 

“What--”

“He’s pretty pissed. Getting shot does that to a guy, I guess.” Varric turns in his seat and clicks Dorian’s seatbelt open. “Thirty minutes and then the Seekers are going to bust down the Lion’s door and take you both to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollars.” 

“Wait-- how do you… _Cassandra_ is allowing this?” 

“That really the question you want to ask right now? Twenty-nine minutes.” Varric taps the face on his watch and then opens his own door. Dorian meets him around the front of the car and catches the keys that are tossed to him. 

Dorian glances down at the keys. When he looks back up, he’s alone with the car. 

Right. 

Dorian has an angry lion to deal with. 

He pockets the keys and makes his way into the building complex. For a moment, he worries that he’s not going to find Cullen’s apartment because he’s never been here before, but there’s a directory near the door. A quick glance tells him which apartment has Rutherford attached to the number. 

The elevator is a normal elevator and moves at regular pace but it feels as though it’s too slow. Dorian has never liked time limits and countdowns. He mentally counts the minutes it took him to get from the parking lot to this floor just as the elevator dings open. 

The hallway is empty. 

He walks down the rows of doors until he finds the one that belongs to Cullen. 

Twenty-four minutes. 

… 

Twenty-four minutes until the Seekers burst down Cullen’s door and take both of them to high security prison until a trial. 

Neither of them have excuses. Dorian isn’t protected by his spy job anymore. Cullen was never protected. 

He knocks. 

-xx-

Cullen has been shot before.

In his line of work, he’s felt the bite of a bullet far too many times for his liking. However, he’s never been shot by a lover. Granted, he doesn’t really have those. Dorian has always been … special. 

Dorian stole his attention from the moment Cullen passed him in a men’s restroom. Dorian was wearing a gorgeous suit with a perfect mustache and distracting eyes-- 

Cullen was awestruck the moment he locked eyes with Dorian in that restroom mirror.

He didn’t know Dorian was an agent for the Seekers or he would have shot him, watched his blood splatter across the mirror, instead of letting Dorian flirt with him.

Instead of taking him home. Taking him to bed. Inviting him to dinner. Opening the door for Dorian to step into his life and rule his heart. 

He got a bullet in the gut for his trust. 

Pushing all thoughts of Dorian aside, Cullen applies new tape to the bandage and gauze across his wound and then gently tugs his shirt back down just as someone knocks. 

Cullen didn’t make it this far in the business by not being alert. He grabs his gun and strides silently through the apartment to rest his shoulder against the door. He peeks through the hole at the door to see who is on the other side. 

_Dorian._

He doesn’t answer immediately but Dorian has always been persistent-- one of the many things he likes about him. Dorian knocks again and again until Cullen hears an annoyed, “I know you’re there. We have twenty minutes, Cullen.” 

It’s probably a trap. 

But, Maker, just the sound of Dorian’s voice on the other side has him weak in the knees. With a bit of hesitation, he opens the door partially and sticks the barrel of his gun between the slot. 

“Speak fast then, Dorian.” 

Dorian doesn’t even look at the gun pointed at him. No, he meets Cullen’s eyes head-on. The balls on this man. 

Cullen wants to kiss him. 

“I was fired. Varric said we had--” 

“You met Varric?” Cullen interrupts, surprised that Varric found Dorian and didn’t kill him. 

“Yes?” Dorian hazards, his voice sounding unsure. Cullen opens the door fully and motions for Dorian to step through. 

Now, they’re staring at each other and he’s not quite sure what to do with his hands other than keep the gun trailed on Dorian. “No one meets Varric unless the Inquisition approves it.” 

“Yes, well, surprise.” Dorian smiles though he seems harried and uneasy and not because of Cullen’s weapon. Dorian hasn’t even looked twice at the gun. “I was informed that I was fired and we have twenty minutes until the Seekers come to arrest us both.” He digs around for something in his pocket. Keys. 

“And why did you come here, Dorian? To warn me? Consider me warned. Go live your life.” 

“No, that’s-- I’m here because I love you.”

“You _shot_ me.” 

“And your murdered two men before bringing me flowers on our first date.” Dorian pauses and then points at his face. Cullen is torn between wanting to bite his finger and wanting to kiss it. Dorian gets under his skin unlike anyone else. “And, _you_ shot _me_ back, if I recall.” 

“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Dorian,” Cullen responds. It’s not the right thing to say if Dorian’s surprised look is anything to go by. 

“You… you infuriating man! I hate that I love you so much. We can argue about this later. Preferably on a beach somewhere. Pack your things because we are leaving. I’m not letting the Seekers have you before I’ve finished with you.” 

“And what do you plan on doing with me then?” Cullen doesn’t move just yet though he’s compelled to give into Dorian’s bossiness. He loves when Dorian gets like this-- when he _demands_ Cullen’s attention. Cullen likes giving it to him. 

“First I’m going to kiss you and then we’ll explore the legalities of marriage with pseudonyms while having a nice alcoholic beverage.” 

Cullen blinks in surprise, unsure if he heard him correctly. “Did you… did you just propose to me _without_ a ring _and_ an apology for shooting me?” 

“Well, yes. Keep up,” Dorian snips but he’s smiling a bit right at the quirk of his lips. Cullen has missed him so very much. “Ten minutes. Can we leave? I’d rather you didn’t shoot my coworkers.” 

“Ex-coworkers.” 

“Right, ex-coworkers,” Dorian brushes past him. Cullen can’t let him go just yet. He snags Dorian’s wrist and tugs him gently to stop walking. Dorian turns an inquiring expression on him. 

“Are you going to join the Inquisition for me?” 

Dorian reaches out and slides his open palm along Cullen’s chest and down to his bandage. Cullen tenses, unsure what’s going to happen but willing to try and trust Dorian once more. “Let’s get out of here alive first. No promises on the Inquisition bit.” 

Cullen smiles but only for a second because Dorian flicks his bandaged wound with his finger. Cullen exhales at the sharp pain and he glares at his boyfriend but Dorian’s expression is one of faux innocence. 

“Five--” 

Cullen kisses him. 

\--x--

In the elevator, Cassandra Pentaghast, Lord Seeker, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with her agents. She steps into the hallway once the elevator comes to a creaking stop. Her agents spread strategically through the floorplan. They’ve been trained to apprehend dangerous men like the Red Lion and their movements are fluid and professional. 

Once the floor has been cleared, she motions for the apartment to be opened. 

“Clear!” 

“Clear.” 

“All clear here.” 

She waits for the signal and then steps into the apartment. 

There, directly across from her, the bay windows are open, a breeze from the cool night causing the curtains to flutter wildly but otherwise the apartment is empty. 

She leans out of the window to look around the area for her wayward agent and the assassin. There, in the parking lot below, she watches the two of them get into a nondescript black car. 

“Lord Seeker, do you see them?” 

Cassandra doesn’t answer immediately. Not until the car pulls out of the parking lot, its taillights disappearing over the hill. Then, she turns on her heel and shakes her head in the negative. 

She’s always been a bit of a romantic, so she’ll give them a few hours head start.

**Author's Note:**

> This gift comes with a playlist: [star-crossed](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/78y6egAlIWkBf9ACKGnLi4?si=5hnm68KpRk6qMhH-TSVrVw)
> 
> Let's hang out on [Tumblr!](https://the-red-dame.tumblr.com/)
> 
> We can also hang out on the [Cullrian Discord!](https://discord.gg/WpPAGQJ)


End file.
